Wheat Malt

[stoutdrinker]

While looking at various types and brands of malt I came accross this on another HB site about wheat malt;

All grain brewers will add 5% to every recipe to aid head retention. Used (would you believe) in wheat beers at a maximum of 70% of an all-grain grist.

Ok so I have some questions,

1 Does it work?

2 Is this a common practice ie do many AG'ers actually add wheat for this reason

3 Do many brewers add anything specifically for head retention at all and if so is it wheat or something else?

I've been collecting recipes for ales/porters/stouts and very few have wheat listed as an ingredient. If it is important is it something that just gets added to each brew as the quote mentioned without it being listed as a specific ingredient.

Cheers, :beer:

Stout

 

[MHB]

Stoutdrinker

Wheat is used extensively for head improvement, especially in modern commercial brews where the malt that does contain natural head building substances can be as little as 40% of the bill.
First up wheat doesnt make more foam, it contains a group of compounds that reduce the surface tension, the bubbles that make up the foam are more elastic and less prone to bursting so they hang around longer.

Unless you are doing long protein rests (which degrades the head forming agents), using a lot of adjunct or are having problems with head retention. An AG brew shouldnt need any help.

There are agents (big head powder and the like) you can add to your brew to improve head retention any home brew shop can sell you these, I think you shouldnt need them but there there for those that do.

Unfortunately the public has been exposed to years of advertising from the mega-brewers that cant say how good their beer tastes. They say how good there beer looks; if it isnt covered in an inch of foam it cant be a real beer. This has lead to people expecting masses of foam, and often judging a beer with their eyes rather than their mouth.

Wheat, Dark, Roasted Malts and Cara Foam all improve the head. Good mashing practice, clean glassware and maturity all play a roll in how a beer presents.

Having said all that, wheat is cheep, it does help; I always recommend a 5% addition. Especially to new AG brewers the brew is going to taste great, it might as well look good to.

MHB

 

[wessmith]

And to add to MHB's comments, try some Weyermann Wheat Malt from European grown wheat (I think that is the only imported wheat currently available). It is quite different to our local products and certainly contributes more flavour and head. BTW, Aussie wheat malts are not that cheap, in fact are usually more expensive than local barley malt. This is due to the fact that so little is used in brewing generally compared with the major use of wheat in the flour, baking and confectionary industries.

Wes

 

[Randall the Enamel Animal]

Wheat is not usually added as a foam augmenting agent in commercial Australian beers. Tetralone (tetra-hydro-iso hop extract) is the weapon of choice and you'll find it in most Australian breweries (but not at Colonial). It produces the distinctive speckled meringue-like foam best illustrated in hop-free beers like Extra Dry).

Of the local wheat malts, the Barrett Burston product is vastly superior to Joes Whites and worth getting hold of if you can.

 

[Malnourished]

1 Does it work?

There was apparently an article on this subject in the December 2005 BYO by Chris Colby. I haven't seen the article but he posted some further information on the topic here. (You'll need to scroll down a bit.)

My understanding is that his conclusion was that whilst wheat malt definitely does give more foam-positive proteins:
- It doesn't guarantee anything because a stressed fermentation (generally from underpitching) is usually the cause of poor head retention.
- The vast majority of grists with modern malts already have plenty of proteins to give good head retention without the addition of wheat malt.

He also outlines a test to see whether your beer is lacking head because of lack of proteins or a poor fermentation.

Shake a glass of headless brew and dump in a thin glass. If no head you got no proteins, if you get head and it fades then you are killing your head in fermentation.

FWIW, this completely agrees with my experience. I've added wheat malt (and unmalted wheat) with no noticeable increase in head, and I've had some batches with excellent head which contained no wheat.

 

[Kai]

I never bother including wheat malt for head retention, my beers all have good head...if I can leave them in the bottle for more than a few weeks.

 

[wee stu]

My amarillo wheat has 45% wheat malt and practically no head, mind you it is seriously undercarbed, and as young as an aged Kai beer!!

If I want additional head in a beer, I would generally turn to carapils.

But most often, a properly carbed all malt beer gives me as much head as I need.

 

[Mr Bond]

Yeah ,keep the wheat for a true wheaty @ 50% min and try carapils for head/body

 

[Pumpy]

I must say 100 grams of wheat malt in your English bitter will give it a great head


100 grams of wheat malt is a essential inclusion in any recipe if you like a good creamy head



Pumpy

 

[Mr Bond]

As will 100 gms carapils

 

[Pumpy]

As will 100 gms carapils

Yep I always put that in my lagers !!!

Pumpy

 

[tangent]

a handfulll of carapils or a handfull of weyermann wheat malt always ensure big belgian head but sometimes that's a pita if you want an easy swiller.

 

[Pumpy]

a handfulll of carapils or a handfull of weyermann wheat malt always ensure big belgian head but sometimes that's a pita if you want an easy swiller.

No excuse for a good head the Carapils is supposed to make the lagers clear

Pumpy

 

[jimmy01]

As will 100 gms carapils


Got to agree. Go the Carapils.

 

[homebrewworld.com]

Torrified Wheat,gives an amazing head and lace to your beer.
:beerbang:

 

[Pumpy]

Torrified Wheat,gives an amazing head and lace to your beer.
:beerbang:

I have stopped using Torrified wheat , it really does not shape up like the wheat malt

Pumpy

 

[homebrewworld.com]

Yeah i agree Pumpy,
I made a Wit with it and was not impressed.
But as i say, say 5% in the recipe is really nice.
cheers

 

[tangent]

No excuse for a good head the Carapils is supposed to make the lagers clear

Pumpy

that's a new one to me Pumpy.

i've heard carapils adds body to lagers, but in the southern states some of us refer to carapils as "magic foam bullets"

 

[Pumpy]

Tangent dont want to fall on my sword here, but sure the guy at ESB said when I was making a lager it added a clarity to the lager :blink:


Pumpy

 

[tangent]

then i suggest "the guy at ESB" and Ray Daniels duel with swords at dawn until someone works out what the hell is going on